Road-building machine.



E. I. AKINS.

ROAD BUILDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY I, 1912.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

gm @260.60m

E. 1. AKINS.

ROAD BUILDING MACHINE APPLICATION HLED JULY 1912. 1,161,016. Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

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INVEN TUR WITNEESES: m

ATT DRNEY.

CULUMBIA PLANDGRAPH :0..WASHINa-mN. D. c.

E. J. AKINS.

ROAD BUILDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY Il I9I2. 1,161,016. Patented Nov.l 23, 1915.

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2 l J o J COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Co.. WASHINGTON, nA c.

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EDWIN J'. AKINS, OF MOUNDSVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA.

ROAD-BUILDING MACHINE.

Application filed July '1, 1912.

and State of Vest Virginia, rhave inventedv certain new and useful Improvements in Road-Building Machines, of 'which the following is a specification.

rllhis invention relates broadly to road building machines, and it has for its primary object to provide a mechanically propelled vehicle adapted for carrying and actuating, or propelling, rotary digging and grading devices.- y

A further object is to provide a road building machine of powerful construction adapted for operating scarifiers, earth conveyers, and the like, and for constantly advancing such devices.

A still further object is to provide a machine of the character mentioned wherein the vehicle and earth working ytool carried thereby are driven independently, adapting it for varying the speed of the tool Without varying the speed at which the vehicle is advanced, and vice versa. And a still further object is to provide simple and conveniently operated means whereby the elevation of the earth working tool may be adjusted and whereby said tool is rigidly held in adjusted position. i Y

Another object within the contemplation of the invention is to provide driving mechanism for the earth working tool, embodying c a pair of drive-chains, with automatic means for equalizing the driving strain on `said chains. i y `v With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement of parts and combinations of elements which will hereinafter be described, referencefbeing had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aside elevationl of the invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the same with the engine removed,the same being partly in topv plan and partly in a horizontal section; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the invention; Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line i- 4, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through the gears of the countershaft; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6, Fig. l2; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7--7, Fig. 6; and Fig. l3 is an enlarged section of the fly wheel and friction clutch. i i i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nev. es, isis. serial No. 706,941. i

Referring to said drawings, in which like f .designating characters distinguish like parts throughout the several views--l indicates the side members of a vehicle frame which is supported on axles 2 and 3 in any suitable manner, the axle 2 being mounted upon wheels i and the axle 3 being mounted upon wheels 5. Said frame `is adapted for supporting thereon an engine, as 6, `which may be Vof any appropriate type. A variable speed transmission is interposedbetween the engine drive-shaft andthe traction wheels, or drivers, 5 wherebythe latter may be actuated to rotate on the axle 3, the transmission shown and hereinafter described being but one of various types which might be employed, but being preferred for the reason that it is admirably 'adapted for the use to which it is subjected in the, present machine and is simple inV its construction. Said transmissioncomprises a horizontally disposed crank-shaft or drive-shaft 7 j ournaled in suitable bearings on said frame and carrying a fly wheel 8, the crank V9 of said shaft being adapted for connection with the engine pitman (not shown). A friction clutch, preferably of the type illustrated in Fig. 8, is carried yby the drive-shaft whereby the traction gearing may be connected and disconnected, saidclutch being adapted to coact with the fly wheel, and comprising a normally stationary bushing 10 within which the `drive-shaft and the inner end of the hub 11 of said fly wheel are rotatable. Fixed rupon `said bushing 10, so as to be rotated when motion isimparted-to the latter is a pinion 12 in mesh with a gear wheel 13 carried by a countershaft 14: journaled on the frame; and slidable longitudinally on said bushing adjacent to said pinion is a sleeve 15 to which is pivotally connected the inner ends of toggles 16 having their opposite ends pivotally connected to radiallymovable sections ;or shoes 17 adapted to be Vforced into frictional engagement with the inner periphery of the fly wheel. A yoke 18 forming one of the arms of a suitably mounted bell-crank lever 19 is suitably connected to the sleeve 15 whereby, when a lever 20, under the control ofthe operatorand connected to the opposite arm of said bell-crank, is manipulated, said sleeve is moved forward and back'. Asis obvious, when the lever 20 is thrust back, the sleeve 15 is'thrust outward,

forcing the shoes 17 into frictional engagefixed thereon for communicatingmotion to the countershaft 14.

Located on the countershaft 14 is a pluf rality of gears, as 21, 22 and 23 of varying sizes, of which gears 21 and 23 are keyed on the shaft, as shown in Fig. 5, while gear 22 is loose thereon so as to be normally idle.

Said gear 22 may, however, be rendered operative in any suitable well known manner, as'by directing one or more pins 24 through registering holes provided in said gears 21, 22'and 23, as shown. Said gears 21 and 23 are adapted to be operatively engaged'one at Va time and respectively by gears 25 and 26 carried by a parallel shaft`27, while the gear 22 is continuously in mesh; with a gear 28`interposed between and' fixed to said gears 25 and 26. As is obvious, the gears 25, 26 and 2Sl may be arranged to shift on: the shaft 27, or theV said shaft may itself be' arranged to be' shifted, as shown in lTig.l 2,*fo`r carrying any desired gear i-ntoA op'erative relation to its' companion gear on the countershaft 14 for changing speeds. As shown, the shaft 2'7- is longitudinally movable, a swivel-like connectionbeing had between an operating screw 29 and said shaft, said screw having a crankor hand wheel 30 Aixed'th'ereto and operating through a stationary yokel 31 attached at a suitablepoint, as to the adjacent side member 1 of the frame.

In operative, or meshing', engagement with the gear wheel 28 throughout all shifting positions is'the gear 32 of a spur-gear differential of the type illustratedv in Figs. 6 andl 7. The gear 32 andl differential casing 33' areiixedly connected to a hollow shaft 34,y one end' of which has a pinionj35 fixed thereon i'n Inesh with a spur gear 36y carriedibya'nd concentric with one of the driversrv 5, while an internal gear 37 of said differential is fixed upon a shaft 3(8 having on'eend floating within sai'd hollow shaft 34- and carrying ya pinion 39 upon its`l opposite, or outer, end, which pinion meshes with ay spur gear 40 carried by and concentric with the opposite driver 5. As is obvious, the provision of the differential permits the drivers to travel independently ofY each other lfor accommodating themselves to differences in the length oftheirr paths of travel, as when the ie'hicle is" rounding' a curve.

, The spur-gears 36 and40, above nen-, tioneid', are supported upon angularl braces 40f rattached to the rims of the drivers, the purposev of such mounting being to relieve the wheel spokes of such strain as would result from mounting such gear directly upon the'spokes', as is the usualpractice.

The me is or that type raten as een! ing,v coiii'prifs'infgztwo separated hollow shafts 4 2,,wh1lchuare separated and have their adjacent' ends rigidlyv i connected to, a

differential housing 43. Operating vwithin said housing and fixed upon a shaft 44 which is rotatably mounted within the hollowshaf'tx41 is the gear 45 of a spur-gear differential similar to the differential hereinbefore described as located intermediate the change-speed gears and the drivers.

hollow shafts 41 and42, which are stationsu J aortino' strains.

T he vgear 45 of the Vdifferential of 'axle 3 1s driven by a sprocket chain -47 which connectsv it with a sprocket wheel 48 on the drive-shaft 7, said chai-n operating through suitable openings, as V49, provided in the differential housing 43. f

The rotatable shafts 44 yand 46 have their outer ends projected outward from the corresponding ends of the hollow shafts 41 and 42, respectively, and carry thereon fixed sprocket wheels 50 which are connected by sprocket chains 51 to sprocket wheels 52 carried by the opposite ends of a shaft 53 which is jonrnaled in the fro-nt ends lof forwardly directed supporting bars 54 whose rear ends are loosely mounted on the outer ends of the hollow shafts41 and 42. The shaft 53 may be that of a rotary earth' scarifier, excavator, conveyer, or similar device, a spiral earth shifting, device or conveyer4 55 being" depictedv in* the drawings. Said supporting bars 54 serve as supports for'the earth-working tooland also'y to rigidly brace saidtool at a fixed distancek in front ofthe axle 3. For permitting a slight inclination" from the horizontal ofthe earth working tool without straining Vor distorting the supporting bars 54, the latter are made` in two sections,v one section vhaving swivel-like 'movement with vrespect to the other permitted by any suitable form of connection, as by a worm-screw 56 carried by` one section operating within a threaded socket 57 formed in the' adjacent section.

Suitable braces, as the' curved braces 58, are' j interposed between the front fends of the rear sections of the bars and' a suitable fixed part, as the axle 3, whereby said bars upper ends have rigidly fixed thereto suitable braces, as theinclined braces 60. Said braces (l0 have yokes 61 formedon their ends adjacent to said stanchions, and rotatably mounted `within the embrace of each ofsaid yokes is an interiorly threaded sleeve 62 having a hand-wheel 63 fixed thereto, or formedintegral therewith whereby it may be rotated. Extending through said sleeve (S2 is the upper threadedend `of an inclined ,roda 64e which has its lower end suitably connected tothe foremost section of the adjacent supporting bar By manipulation of the hand wheels'63,said supporting barsV are raised and lowered for adjusting the level of the/earth' working tool.` Serving to assist in supporting said stanchions are braces 63 whichhave' their upper ends fixed to said stanchionsfnearthe upper ends thereof andlha-ve their opposite ends resting upon the hollow shafts Lllian 42 near the differential housing 43.

As is obvious, the differential provided on the axle Bhas for its purpose to equalize the load on the sprocket chains in cases where the chains are of unequallength or have unequal tension, and thus to cause said chains to exert equal power for driving the earth working tool. lVithout such differential, unless the sprocket chains were so accurately adjusted as to be precisely equal in length, all of the load would be placed upon the chain having the greater tension. Further, if said chains were accurately adjusted, the load would soon be imposed wholly upon one or the other thereof owing to an unequal wear which will inevitably occur. Again, in operation, it is frequently found necessary to incline the earth-working tool more or less, elevating one end above the level of the other; and, in such case, the differential l5 serves to equalize the load on the sprocket chains. As has been explained, the employment of the two iioating shafts and the differential gear equalizes the load on the chains, thus preventing the whole work of driving the tool from being imposed on one side or the other of the machine.

The machine is designed primarily for extremely heavy work, as road making, and is adapted for operating rotary scariiiers, conveyers, and like rotarytools interchangeably, such tools being mounted in the supporting bars 54, as shown.

In operation, the vehicle is advanced at one of the lower speeds, the speed used being determined by the character of work being done and by the character of earth acted upon. When it is desired to idle the earth working tool, as when it is desired to move the machine across countr the engine is stopped and the pins 66 directed through sprocket wheel 48 on the drive-shaft are withdrawn, idling said wheel. Said pins are ldirected through said wheel and fixed disks engine, a. hollow`1axle, traction wheels rotat-A able on` said axle, meansinterposedbetween the drive-shaftl and said wheels for driving the latter, a pair of rotatable shafts floating within said hollow axle and havingtheir outer ends projectingV outward from` said traction wheels, sprocket wheels carriedby the projecting ends of said shafts, a yrotatable ,earth-working tool having sprocket wheels thereon, drive chains connecting the` sprockets of the floating shafts to the sprockets of saidl tool, a differential drive gear connecting the inner ends of said iioating shafts, and means interposed between said drive-shaft and said differential gear for driving the latter.

Q. A road building machine comprising a vehicle frame, an engine mounted on said frame, axles for supporting said frame, traction wheels rotatable on one of said axles, means interposed between the engine and said wheels and independent of said axle for driving said wheels, iioating shafts forming a part of the one axle, means for driving said shafts, said driving means including a differential drive gear connecting the inner ends of said shafts, a rotary earth working tool, and means interposed between said shafts and said tool for driving the latter.

3. A road building machine comprising a vehicle frame, an engine mounted on said frame, axles for supporting said frame, traction wheels rotatable on one of said axles, means interposed between the engine and said wheels and independent of said axle for driving said wheels, floating shafts disposed within the one axle and having their outer ends projecting outward from said traction wheels, a differential drive gear connecting the inner ends of said shafts, a rotary earth working tool, and means interposed between the outer ends of said shafts and said tool for driving the latter. y

4L. A road building machine comprising a vehicle frame, an engine mounted on said frame, axles for supporting said frame, traction wheels rotatable on one of said axles, means interposed between the engine and said wheels and independent of said axle for driving said wheels', floating shafts forming a part of the one axle, a differential drive gear connecting the inner ends of said shafts, driving means for said gear wholly dissociated fromthe wheeldriving means, sprocket wheels carried by said shafts, a ro tary earth working toolV having sprockets thereon, and sprocket chains interposed b etween the sprockets of the shafts and those element at a fixed distance from said axle,

and means interpose between said shafts and said element whereby rotary motion im- Yshafts operating within and having their outer ends projecting outward from said axle, a dierential drive gear connecting the inner ends of said shafts, said means being independent of the wheel-actuating means, bars pivoted at one end upon said axle, a rotary digging element Vjournaled in said bars and supported thereby at a fixed distance from said axle, and means interposed between said shafts and said element whereby rotation of the former communicates co-rresponding Vrotation to the latter.

7. In combination, the hollow axle of a traction vehicle, said axle having traction wheels rotatable thereon, means for driving said wheels, shafts floating withinsaid axle, a differential drive gear connecting the inner ends of said shafts, supporting members connected tosaid axle, earth-working mechanism carried by said supporting members, and meansrwhereby motion imparted to said shafts is communicated to said mechanism.

Intestimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two subscribing wit- IIBSSGS.

I-I; E. DUNLAP, l O. W. WISE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.,

' Washington, D. G. 

